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It’s been a big year

After statewide meetings late in 2017, bargaining reference groups started early in 2018 and these were closely followed by a member-wide survey.

You then had your say at member meetings held around the state. Your survey responses and feedback formed the statement of intent for this agreement. The headlines: 3% increases over 3 years with no trade-offs. Find it here.

The statement of intent was delivered on getREDy Day – a day of action where you painted the public sector red. On getREDy Day, May 24, Members attended question time and parliament for the delivery of the statement of intent, flyer dropped, wobble boarded and held morning teas.

We’ve seen many of you campaign for your service and fair pay at stalls, wobble boards, events, through petitions and many other activities.

The opposition was strong – the Treasurer told lies about you and the Hodgman government launched attacks by media and a paid advertising campaign.

In the face of this, we saw many of you stand up, and be active in the campaign, whether it was filling in a survey, signing a postcard, speaking to the media or to your peers at a stop work meeting.

Mid-year, public sector union members took part in Wear Red days across the North-West, North and South. We doorknocked and went to the One Night Stand to talk to punters.

Fortnightly members at Rosny, St Johns Park New Town and in Hobart took part in collective walks to keep the Tassie Needs A Pay Rise message out there. Members wore red, handed out postcards and kept the campaign front and centre.

Later in the year, the Premier and Treasurer still weren’t listening so industrial actions began. Some actions were larger, public sector-wide, while others were targeted to professions and specific services.

Again, members faced lies from the Hodgman government about the impact of these bans and stood strong.

In October stop work meetings were held across the state and despite many tactics by the government to try and stop members from taking industrial action – the turnout was huge.

While actions grew, 4,500 workers in schools stopped work in late November. We saw plenty of school support staff speak to meetings about the struggles they face with the wages cap, workloads and understaffing.

Just last week we saw the largest CPSU action in a decade at stop work meetings.

Treasurer Gutwein called you a ‘small number of militant unionists’ – but the many actions across the year, especially at the end of the year proves this wrong. Tasmanians working in public services care about our state – they love their work, and know the importance of the work they do. They care for their colleagues and all workers – they do not want to see us become the low wage state. We are a committed majority and together we have shown that we are united in the face of threats, lies and a massive advertising campaign against you, which popped up every time you took action.

So have a rest, if you’re not working over the holiday period. Refresh and enjoy time with your family and friends. This year you’ve stood up for your colleagues, Tasmanian services, which you keep running and wages for all Tasmanians who work.

For those that work even harder over Christmas and summer in our Hospitals, prisons, on the frontline of fires or staffing some of our most popular tourist attractions – thank you. In 2019 we will make sure that you get the respect and recognition you deserve.

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